Enter to Win! We are giving away a 2in1 airplane by Lite Poppers. See below!

I have a great giveaway for you guys today. A new, fun way for kids to learn while they play – STEM toys. These Lite Poppers are perfect for little minds and keep them exploring and teaching themselves while they are at it.

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, but what STEM education focuses on is much more than these four subjects. … STEM toys encourage kids to develop skills in the core disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. And they don’t even know that they’re learning!

They take a bit of time to get used to for the little ones, but once my 4 year olds got the basic idea that anything could snap together in many different ways, he was hooked. He even brought them to bed with him until I told him to put them away until tomorrow! Hehe!

They remind me of Lego’s, but there round, do the possibilities are endless! Each box comes with a character and they can be interchanged which makes for endless play.

Light up features add an extra fun touch, and no batteries are needed! Simply recharge with an android phone charger, how cool is that?!?

The wide variety of shapes, colors and possibilities draw a child’s fascination at first glance. Then, the open-ended play pattern puts no limit on what a child’s natural curiosity and creativity can imagine. In fact, the fun and freedom that comes with playing with Lite Poppers™ only enhances kids’ natural enthusiasm and confidence the more they play. And the innovative touch sensor LED rechargeable base brings creations to life … the very embodiment of a child’s limitless imagination!

We are giving away an airplane 2in1 Lite Poppers! Enter to Win! Your little one will love it and be prepared to want to get more to add to your collection!

Disclaimer: I was provided with product in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

Have you ever heard of POPreal? Me neither until recently. How have I missed out for all this time? Check out the adorable baby, toddler, and kid size clothing and shoes they have to offer! And for a limited time, Register and Get 30% OFF for YourFirst Order at Popreal !!

They even have matching family pajama sets that are perfect for Christmas morning!

This boutique is seriously the cutest. Have your little one stylin’ on a budget.

Anything that you order, I suggest you order 1 size larger because of the difference between Chinese and American sizes. The size chart below is a guide, but I suggest 1 size up.

They do ship from China, so they shipping times may vary, but here is the info directly from their website in regards to shipping. Keep in mind, orders over $49 ship FREE to the USA.

Super Savings service :

Region Except Europe and Middle East :Order processing: 3-7 days. Order delivery: 7-14 days. The items you ordered will reach you within 20 days.

Europe & Middle East: Order processing: 3-7 days. Order delivery: 10-20 days. The items you ordered will reach you within 30 days.

Express Shipping service :

Order processing: 3-7 days. Order delivery: 5-6 days. The items you ordered will reach you within 13 days.

Chinese holiday reminder: During week-long Chinese holidays, Chinese National Day (October 1, 2016) and Chinese New Year (January 30, 2017), services from certain suppliers and carriers may be affected, meaning that deliveries for order placed around these holidays may be delayed 3-7 days.

Processing Time：After we receive your order, we conduct Quality Control checks and testing in order to ensure the product’s quality prior to shipment. The processing time varies depending on the specific product with the average processing time being approximately 3-7days; however, it can also be affected by the item’s stock status.

I know I can’t be the only one out there…

If that stupid Hatchimals commercial comes on one more time, I am going to loose my shit…It keeps drilling into my sons head that he needs to have the stupid thing, and as a parent knowing Santa isn’t going to be able to bring it for him this year, breaks my heart.

Such a simple sales tactic as old as time. Supply and Demand. No store has had them in stock for the last couple of weeks and I’ve been kicking myself for not grabbing one earlier. I am an early shopper, but I also shop frugally. I was waiting to be able to use my Toy’s R Us coupon so I didn’t have to spend $60 on that dumb little thing that I know he’ll play with once and toss it to the side. Who the hell knew it was going to be the new Furby?

A few weeks ago after my son saw a You Tube video and mentioned the name, I looked it up on Amazon and saw the price. $59.99. Add to cart was highlighted in yellow,and all I had to do is click it. Ehh,I’ll wait I said… clicking off of the site… It’ll go on sale I said….

A week later, I strolled unknowing, with my $25 off of $100 coupon in hand into the aisle of Toy’s R US that looked most likely to house the brightly colored weird looking egg they call”hatchimals”. I saw a sign hanging on an empty shelf “Hatchimals on Sale $49.99“. Quirky and oblivious to why the shelf was empty, I found an employee and asked if they were somewhere else in the store due to the promotion, like a promotional area. “They’re sold out and I’m not sure when we’ll get them back in” came out of the sales persons mouth and right then and there I knew… It was a fucking Furby. This was going to be my hell for the next month and a half. A quest for an item that is worth 1/3 of the price listed, and now selling on eBay for upwards of $200.

It’s fine I told myself. He doesn’t need to have everything he has on his list. He doesn’t need everything he wants for Christmas. UNTIL the commercial is on after every single episode of Spongebob telling him subliminally that this is the best toy ever and he needs one.

We’ll see. My quest has just begun. I will not forget how easy it once would’ve been to click “add to cart” and I WILL find one of these stupid unicorn items they call “Hatchimals”.

Until then, STOP IT WITH THAT DAMN COMMERCIAL for something that right now, does not exist to purchase!

Hot Holiday Toys on my Radar this Year

Every year, there seem to be more and more toys promoted, and each one is more and more expensive. It’s hard for me to think about piling on more toys into the already endless seeming piles of toys my boys already have.With that being said, Santa is still coming to town, and the boys are expecting to get toys…and electronics. So what are my top picks this 2016 season?

Let’s start with stocking stuffers. What is a stocking stuffer to me? I would say 80% of the stocking contents is candy, keychains, chapsticks, and in my family, there has usually been a scratch-off or 2 in there for fun.

This year, add a video game that the family can enjoy, like Just Dance 2017 that was just released this month. It is tons of fun for everyone and the fun keeps on coming with online songs to unlock, and battles against other players. My boys are so excited to get their Just Dance game for the Wii U every year!

The other family fun item that you may want to drop into your kids stocking this year is KidzBop 33.Yes, there are 33 of these fun little cd’s now, and they do not stop there! You can also add in KidzBop Holiday CD which we have had on repeat since November 1st! I love KidzBop because it ties in the music I like, with songs my kids learn to love, and then when the radio is on, we all find ourselves singing either way.

Movies are great to throw in there too. Some new great movies out are Finding Dory, The Jungle Book, and Zootopia. Check out my Disney Movie Club review to check out if it’s something that might work for your family. It would be great to be able to wrap up the classics as well this year.

Throwing in a stuffed animal on top to hang out always gives the final touch to our stockings. This year, for my boys it’s all about Five Nights at Freddy’s and Pokemon so I am sure they’ll find a home in stockings this year.

Now for under the tree..

Everyone knows the hardest things to find this year are Hatchimals and the new NES Classic Console. Unfortunately, I think majority of kids will not be waking up to these this Christmas morning, and my kids are probably among that group. It’s frustrating not being able to get things for your kids that they want, but remember, there are things they do not yet know they want, but will love it when they get it.

Two totally different price points, but equally face brightening on Christmas morning, these are the 2 that my boys will be excited to get this Christmas..

Samsung Galaxy Tablet – An inexpensive, great alternative to an apple Ipad. I know I am an Android person, and my kids are already playing games on my phone so the switch to their own tablet should be an easy one. At only $200 for a 10″ screen, it’s much more affordable then the $800+ price point of the Ipad.

Pie Face Showdown – How many of you had a blast with Hasbro’s Pie Face this year? Such a simple game and so much fun. The awesome thing is, the fun doesn’t stop there. Most kids are drooling at the commercial for Pie Face Showdown this season, and it’s only$19.99 at most stores. Toys R Us has a deal that you can get a free Pie Face T-shirt if you purchase $30+ of Hasbro items.

A company that flies under the radar that I think deserves some eyes on them is educational insights. If you have a kid of any gender, any age, there is something for them. The “Build your own Helicopter” is so perfect for preschool aged kids. It lets kids use an almost real power tool, with no worry of them getting hurt. The bright colors leave them wanting to play with it over and over. My son got this a month ago and has still touched it every day since then at one point or another. Once he’s done with it, I am thinking about giving it to his preschool classroom because I know it’ll get a lot of attention an help fuel those little brains.

Another great item from educational insights worth looking into is the game “Ready-Set-Woof“. It is so simple that preschoolers can play it without needing to use instructions, but at the same time, it is hours of fun for older kids. My 8 year old said he didn’t want to play it since it was a baby game, but when I convinced him to try it out when his friends were over, they played it for at least an hour with loud laughs and fun competition.

If you want to be the best gift giver this year, I suggest you go on and pick anything from their site. They’re such cool, unique toys that are actually still educational although the kids will never notice!

Getting back into the video game world, the new ones out that my older son wants is Mario Color Splash for the Wii U and The new Pokemon Sun and Moon games for 3DS. These are probably going to be at the top of most kids lists this year. Since we probably will not be able to score an NES Classic, we still need some of that Mario in our lives.

Sonic merchandise is coming back in with a boom too.I love seeing my old past time joys come back to life within my children.

Speaking of bringing the past back, kids this year will love anything from Trolls, including build a bear which has 3 different Trolls able to be made with love this season. We went and saw the movie, and had to go build the characters right after at the mall.

Those are just the items that are sticking out to me this year.What are your kids most hoping to see under the tree this year?

I know, you have signed up for free stuff on those sites that promise to send you all these goodies, all they need is your email and your home address and maybe a short survey of what you like, and then none of the free stuff comes. But you get tons of “unsolicited” emails an mail to your home instead because they sold your information for their own benefit, and you got nothing. That’s because nothing in this world is free. I am sure you’ve heard this before. Well, luckily, there ARE legit sites where you can get FREE stuff, for a slight trade off. They require some feedback from you so that they can share the feedback with potential customers since most of these items are hot off the press, and not yet in stores. There is one catch.If you think you can just reap the benefits of the free stuff and not do any of the work, your mistaken. You’ll forfeit being able to get any free items in the future, and that’s not fun!

Here are my Top 5 favorite FREE Stuff sites that are legit, in no particular order;

Smiley360: Yes, the name is quite odd. I am still not sure what it means or how they came up with it but I have been a member of “Smiley” (that’s what we call it in the streets lol – j/k) for over 2 years now. You fill out some short surveys, and if you qualify for the mission, you get the item for free to try. They require you to successfully complete the mission by getting a certain amount of points. The points add up, I have over 2200 points right now, but I am still unsure of what they actually are used for. Keep in mind, you will need to share your feedback on your social media, usually Facebook, Twitter, and the Smiley360 online community. All of the items they give are full size items and I have never been disappointed. Check out some cute stuff we got here.

BzzAgent: This site is a little more in depth when it comes to surveys. You’ll start with the initial 10-20 surveys of getting to know you, what you like and dislike, etc. You have to answer them accurately if you want to get stuff in the future you’ll actually like. You need to finish all of these initial surveys to get any campaigns. For BzzAgent, they want you to spread the Buzz. The typical follow up surveys include sharing on social media, in the BzzAgent community, and then the answers are moderated and either denied, in which you’ll need to rewrite it, or approved at various levels “Good, Great, Amazing” in which you’re awarded “MyPoints” which they’re affiliated with. This is an added perk because the Mypoints add up and you can redeem them on that site for gift cards which I have done. BzzAgent seems to have ups and downs with how many campaigns they have at any given time. I’ve qualified for as many as 3 at a time, to not getting anything but surveys for a few months. My issue is that I do forget to go follow up and complete any added surveys because unlike some of the other sites, they do not email you to let you know there are surveys waiting. All items are full size and usually it’ll be a coupon to go and get the item for free at a store. I have also won a $50 gift card from BzzAgent in the past! Check out some stuff I’ve gotten here.

Influenster: The name speaks for itself. They give you free stuff based on your ability to be an “influencer”. When you sign up, they’ll ask you to add your social media accounts, blogs, or any other accounts like Google+ and it’ll calculate your total reach. Mine is currently at a little over 7K and it has fluctuated from time to time, to as high as over 12k and I am not really sure why. If you have enough reach, this site is definitely one of the best. They usually have things known as a “VoxBox”. It’s a fun little box that has a variety of items in it, some full size and some sample size but all great. The best part it, if you don’t look into it ahead of time, you’ll have a fun surprise box to open when it shows up to your door. The other great thing about Influenster is that it doesn’t stop there. For each voxbox you’re a part of, you’ll have an opportunity to complete tasks on the items you loved to get a gift set of even more items from the same company. I have scored quite a few of these prizes and it’s so great to be recognized from the brands. Most prize sets are valued over $40. My last voxbox was Makeup Forever HD in my exact shade – a concealer stick and foundation, both in full size. These 2 items alone are over a $100 value, and I have a chance to win additional items from Makeup Forever by completing more tasks. You can check out some of my influenster items here and here.

Crowdtap: If you don’t mind getting tons of emails, then this is for you! As the name suggests, they’re tapping into the consumer database to get information on what works and what doesn’t. I personally get too many emails to keep track of, and I skip a bunch on a daily basis. I don’t mind getting them, but they get lost among the rest of the junk in my inbox. Crowtap used to focus on writing content and reviewing other member content to get gift cards, usually $5 each or up to $100. This was great and I won a few Amazon gift cards that way. Recently, they changed it up, and it’s more survey and mission based like the other sites. They do however still offer many ways to win gift cards if you’re up to taking a ton of surveys. I like to do it on my down time and it’s fun when they announce the monthly money winners, but again, I do forget a lot. The missions often supply full size products to try. Recently I’ve gotten Loreal shampoo/conditioner sets and Jiffy Cinnamon Peanut butter. These are things that will get used up in my house, and that is what I love about Crowdtap. It is usually consumables rather then useless stuff that’ll just linger around my house. I don’t get accepted into missions with them often since I forget about it, so I am happy when I do get chosen. Like the others, it is imperative that you complete the follow up steps necessary to “close” out whatever they need in return for sending you these items or you will get flagged and banned.

PinchMe: PinchMe by far is the most simple site, with the least amount of effort needed up front, and after the fact, but it’s time sensitive. I used to have an alarm on my phone set to go off every Tuesday at 12 that said “Pinch Me” and if anyone else every saw it pop up, they’d probably be like “what the heck?!” When I got my new phone about 6 months ago, it didn’t transfer over and to be honest, I completely forgot about the site. I used to enjoy getting the little teal box in the mail, and the thrill of being one of the first inline on the site to get the best samples. The only issue is, they’re just that… samples. They aren’t full size like the rest although once in a blue moon you will score something worth while and potentially full size. They’ve also become a little to “adsy” for me and the constant ads in your face is a turn off for sure. I am not sure if they’ve stepped their game up at all, but I’ll be checking it out again myself.

They great part is, these are all legitimate sites that I have personally been a part of for the past 2+ years. You can join 1, or join em’ all. Let me know if you have any feedback on any of these sites!

The all new 2017 Mitsubishi Lancer was provided to me by DriveShop to test out and give my opinion.

We took the Lancer for a nice hour and a half long ride to Fright Fest to test it out. Any excuse to go to a theme park is good with me! My initial thoughts were a bit skewed because I drive a fairly large 2016 truck, so any car is inferior in my opinion. This being a 2017, the first thing I noticed was it definitely couldn’t be the fully loaded version. It was not equipped with navigation which I thought came standard in almost every vehicle these days. But maybe I’m wrong. Either way, with this model, you’d need to get an upgraded package that includes navigation.

This is my first time driving any Mitsubishi, so I am not sure if this is a standard for them, but the keyless entry in this specific car is a little odd in my opinion. I am so used to push start, that I guess I don’t understand why there would be an almost keyed like ignition start. It isn’t a key, but rather shaped like one, and you push it in and turn it. I just don’t see the point of it. Again, maybe it isn’t just this model, and its a Mitsubishi brand thing. My dream car when I was a teen was a Mitsubishi eclipse, and I never did actually get it, darn!

There is a back up camera, like any other vehicle made after 2013, and it’s quite accurate. I felt comfortable relying on it as I packed in and out of parking spots and my driveway. Some vehicles cameras are not as clear, or do not include the entire view, but this one did.

I loved the exterior. It was so pretty, especially when the sunlight hits it. This color is not just white, but it’s called Pearl for a reason. In the sunlight, it is such a beautiful, sparkling pearl color. The black leather interior really compliments it well, and the rims are stunning!

Since I had this car for a week, I took it to and from work more then anywhere. I work up in the mountains, so the daily drive includes a vigorous incline on the way to work, and a long and slow decline on the way home. Let me tell you, this Lancer took it like a champ! I felt comfortable driving up and down the hilly slopes and felt like I had total control over the car. That definitely has to do with the face that it was 4 wheel drive option. There is a button in the center that you can switch easily between 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive which was a plus.

The halogen lights were beautiful and helped with driving home from our long drive to six flags. They were super bright and I felt like it was a smooth ride home. Did I mention gas in this car is great!?! It’s everything I love about a sedan as opposed to my gas guzzling truck.

What a nice vehicle inside an out. There sunroof was an added bonus, especially since it’s the fall and the beautiful sunshine is still poking through the clouds often. I didn’t get a photo of the trunk, but it’s a decent size for a 4 door sedan. I was able to fit food for the week for our family of 4 in the truck with no issues. It also has the option to fold down the back row seats one at a time for added trunk space.

I have to say, the only con is the lack of navigation being standard. The driver and passenger seats were manual control, which is also a bit outdated in a 2017 model, but it’s less of an issue as it a critique.

Overall, The 2017 Mitsubishi Lancer is a nice, reliable vehicle, and it starts at $24,000 which is very well priced for this car. It’s an affordable option for families that may not be able to make the jump to an SUV. You can ride in style while still having the room in the back to fit 2 kids in car seats and another passenger back there with them.

Let me start off by saying that this is NOT a sponsored post. I have no affiliation with Six Flags and this is just my own experiences that I want to share with you.

First off, before I even start, go get a season pass to six flags! Right now, it’s the best deal I’ve ever seen so I had to scoop them up for my family of 4. But you have to be quick because you MUST ACTIVATE the passes before Oct 31st, just 9 more days, to get the deal.

It’s only $6 a month (auto-pay) per person for minimum of 12 months, for a COMBO GOLD pass that includes the rest of this year free including Fright Fest and Holiday in the park, Free Parking, and Hurricane Harbor for next year. That is only $72 per person for the whole YEAR and a one day ticket is $72 if you were to go just 1 day,so even if you only go one time the entire year (which is not very likely), then it already paid for itself! That’s why I think it is so worth it. They do shows throughout the year, bring a friend free of discounted, and so many other deals.

During the end of the year, starting October, they’re only open Friday’s after 5:30pm and then on Sat and Sun all day. If you go during the weekends, you can spend the whole morning there and enjoy the fall and Halloween decor without and spooks or scares. Once the sun sets though, it’s a whole other story.

So should you bring your young kids to fright fest? I say go for it. My boys had a great time despite the scary zombies roaming around. My 8 year old absolutely LOVED the zombies. I on the other hand tried my best not to make eye contact and used the kids as a shield LOL! I get creeped out with that stuff… It did make it easier having the kids with me because they didn’t bother us as much.

My 4 year old didn’t mind the first time we went, I don’t think he noticed the zombies as much. The 2nd time, he was more aware of them and what was going on and he cried for a bit to go home. He kept looking over his shoulder and I felt so bad, but then I had a genius idea! I told him to switch jackets with his brother, and that it was so big on him, it was like a “blanket” and the zombies would think he was just a big blanket. It worked! He started to forget about it eventually and enjoyed himself the rest of the night.

I love carnivals, and theme parks, so of course I love Six Flags Great Adventure. I wish it was a little closer since it’s about an hour drive, but so was Sesame Place which we had a blast this past Summer and went a lot with our season passes there. It’s good to switch it up, so next Summer we’ll have these passes for the theme and water park at great adventure. Did I mention, if you love Pokemon Go, then you will be excited to know that there are many Pokemon hanging out here🙂

My favorite thing is seeing my boys enjoying themselves on the rides. They have a bunch of rides for young kids and a large area with stands and arcades. They really wound up having a great time despite the initial fear of the zombies.

GET YOUR PASSES SOON! You must go BEFORE 10/31 to activate the pass to get the Combo Deal even if you buy the passes, it will not be combo unless it’s activated before then.